World champions Japan reach women's final
Reuters - Monday 06 August 2012, 23:21
World champions Japan will face
holders the United States in the women's Olympic football final
after weathering a storming fightback from France to win 2-1 in
an action-packed match at Wembley on Monday.
Japan will be in their first Olympic final against the U.S,
who they beat on penalties in last year's World Cup final, after
the Americans snatched an astonishing 4-3 extra-time win over
neighbours Canada at Old Trafford, Manchester in the late game.
After a quiet opening half-hour the first semi-final came to
life when Yuko Ogimi gave Japan the lead and it continued to
enthrall a crowd of 61,482 right to the nerve-jangling finale in
what was an outstanding advertisement for the women's game.
Ogimi scored when she scrambled the ball home after French
keeper Sarah Bouhaddi fumbled a long free-kick from Japan skipper
Aya Miyama after 32 minutes.
Japan doubled the lead with a well-directed header from
Mizuho Sakaguchi in the 49th from another Miyama free-kick.
France, who never stopped attacking and generally played the
better football, finally Broke through in the 76th with a
brilliantly-executed volley from substitute Eugenie Le Sommer.
Three minutes later they had the chance to equalise with a
penalty but Elise Bussaglia fired wide. Only desperate,
last-gasp defending and outstanding saves from Japan goalkeeper
Miho Fukumoto kept France out.
Japan had the chance to wrap up the win in added time when
Ogimi, running through with only Bouhaddi to beat, hit the post
but they held on for a win that puts them into the Olympic final
for the first time.
SMALL DIFFERENCE
Japan coach Norio Sasake told reporters: "It was just a
small difference that helped us win the match, perhaps we were
just that bit stronger mentally.
"But we were inspired before the match by a wonderful speech
from Miyama in the dressing room that almost made me cry.
"She said she was honoured to play here with these players
in this stadium, and that was very inspiring for us."
France had beaten Japan 2-0 in a friendly in Paris just
before the Olympics but Sasaki said he learnt enough from that
defeat to counter their tactics at Wembley, preventing wing-back
Wendie Renard from creating anything for her side.
"The tactics worked, and we stopped her from being too
dangerous, she didn't create anything," he said.
Japan's men's team will try to match the women's achievement
when they play Mexico in their semi-final on Tuesday.
France coach Bruno Bini said the defeat to Japan was even
tougher to take than the defeat by Sweden in last year's World
Cup semi-finals but he still managed a joke.
"I'm not very good at semi-finals," he said, "I lost last
year and lost today, so if we reach the semi-finals of the
European Championships next year, I will go home and give the
team to someone else to look after."
France, who finished fourth in last year's World Cup, will
get the chance of an Olympic bronze in their first appearance in
the tournament, when they face Canada in the third-place play-off
match at Coventry on Thursday.